Fireproof construction.



` No. 644,939. Patented Mar. 6. mnu. w. UHR. FmEPnooF coNsTnucTmN.

(Application led Aug. 6, 189B.)

(No Model.)

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT tries,

WILLIAM ORB, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSGNOR TO THE NEW' JERSEY VIRE OLOTHVOOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. 'l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersratentno. 644,939, dated March e, 190e. Application i166 lingua 6, 1896. serai r6, 687,926. (No man.)

proof qualities with a comparatively-small4 amount of concrete and with a ceiling properly supported by hangers in such manner that the fireproong ofthe webs and lower flanges of the beams and the means for supporting the ceiling may be conveniently and zo rapidly applied.

As a full understanding of the invention can best be given by aldetailed description of constructions embodying the same, such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating all the features of the invention as applied in preferred forms in iireproof iioor and ceiling constructions, and the features forming the invention will then be specifically pointed 3o out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of afireproof licor and ceiling construction, taken transversely to the I-beams, one of the beam-protecting blocks in each pair being shown in elevation and the other in section. Fig. 2 is a section of the same parallel with the beam. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are partialviews similar to Fig. l, showingmodilied arrangements of the ceiling-hangers.

adjacent beams of the common I form, the webs and lower flanges of which are iireproofed by blocks of molded iireproof material applied to opposite sides of the beams and resting upon the lower flanges of the latter, these blocks preferably extending, as shown, beneath the Iianges of the beams, so as to form iireproofing on the under side of the latter, as

well as along the webs, although this is not 5o essential to the invention broadly considered. Upon the tops of the blocks B rest v'the ends Referring to said drawings, A A are two.

of metal joists C, extending from beam to beam and which are preferablymetal plates placed edgewise vertically and spaced at the proper distances apart. They may be used 55 without spanners or with spanners of any suitable form. As shown, the spanners4 5c consist of metal rods provided with hooks at opposite ends which take over the top edges of two adjacent joists, so as to hold the latter 6o in vertical position and assure the uniform spacing of the joists. Below the joists C and preferably supported therefrom is reticulated metal D, which may be of any suitable form andsize of openings between the parts and of woven or netted` wire, or metal plates or rods, or perforated or expanded sheet metal, or any other form of reticulated metal, but is shown as common Wire lathing, this lath- `ing being shown as secured to and supported 7o from the joists O by wire ties l at suitable intervals, although any other suitable means may be used. A filling of concrete or similar plastic material is applied from above, so as to embed the joists C and secure the tensile strength of the joists and lathing and fill the space above the lathing'D to the tops of the beams, thus fireproofing the upper portions of the beams and forming a fireproof iloor upon whichthe board or othersuitable floor- 8o ing 'F may be laid directly or upon sleepers G, as shown.

Referring now to the ceiling construction, a feature of the invention consists in theuse of hangers which are carried or held in position on the beam-flanges by the blocks lB and extend below the beam protection 2, formed by the portions of the blocks beneath the beams, so as to support the ceiling below this beam protection, `and either with or without 9o an air-space between the two. The hangers are preferably molded into the blocks, so as to form a singlestructure therewith; but the invention includes also a construction in which the hangers are lapped over the. flanges of the beams and heldin position by the blocks, in which case the blocks are preferably chambered out, so as to accommodate the hangers and hold them in position, although the blocks rest directly upon the flanges of the beams at roo other points.

In the construction shown in Fig. l the hangers a are molded into the blocks B, so as to be carried thereby, and are preferably formed with bent ends adapted to overlap the flanges of the beams and are molded in such a position in the blocks as to rest upon the 'flanges of the beams when the blocks are in place, the other ends of the hangers d projecting downward through the beam protection 2 of the blocks and below the latter to the desired distance, according as to whether ornot an air-spaceis to be formed between the ceiling and beam protection and the amount of air space desired. In the construction shown the hangers a extend but slightly below the beam protection 2 and are provided at their lower ends with eyes 3, through which extend the supporting tension-rods H for the ceiling, which are secured in proper position under tension by the nuts 4, as usual in such constructions, and on which rods II the metallic lathing I of any suitable form is supported, being shown as secured thereto by wire ties 5, this metallic lathing carrying the usual plaster ceiling J. This ceiling construction, consisting of the rods I-I, wire lathing I, and plaster J, is of a common construction, and it will be understood that the features of the invention may be usedwith a ceiling construction of any other suitable form supported by the hangers a.

The form and position of the hangers a, carried by the blocks B, may be varied widely from that shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3 I have shown a construction in which the hangers ci are molded into the blocks and have bentv ends taking over the flanges of the beams in the same manner as shown in Fig. l, but the vertical portions of the hangers, by which the ceiling is dropped from the blocks, are outside the blocks instead of extending through the beam protection 2, as shown in Fig. l.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a construction similar to that shown in Fig. l, with the hangers a2 molded into the blocks, but not having their ends bent so as to take over the flanges of the beams, the hangers in this construction extending through the beam protection 2 and then upward past thc flanges of the beams through the body of the blocks.

"While I preferably mold the hangers into the blocks, as shown in Figs. l to 4, so that the blocks and hangers form a single construction, as this construction is more convenient and efficient, enabling the ceiling to be constructed more rapidly, this part of the invention, broadly considered, also includes hangers held in position by blocks of ireproof material forming the beam protection, al.- though not molded therein. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 5, in which the hangers a3 consist of rods bent so as to hook around the flanges of the beams and form a vertical portion extending downward centrally of the beam between the two parts of the beam-pio tection 2 formed by the blocks B on opposite sides of the beam, the blocks B in this construction being provided with grooves 6, in

which the portions of the hangers d3 within the blocks are inclosed when the blocks are in place.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications maybe made in the construction shown without departing from the invention and that the features of the invention that relate to the fireproof floor and ceiling support may be used independently of each other and are thus claimed, although they are preferably used together, and thus form a complete floor and ceiling construction, which forms a part of the invention. y

l. The combination with flanged beams, of reproof blocks arranged on opposite sides of the webs of the beams and resting upon the flanges of the beams, metal joists supported on the tops of the blocks and extending from beam to beam, reticulated metal extending from beam to beam and between thejoists,and a filling of concrete or similar plastic material applied upon said reticulated metal, substantially as described.

2. The combination with flanged beams, of iireproof blocks arranged on opposite sides of the Webs of the beams and resting upon the flanges of the beams, metal joists supported on the tops of the blocks and extending from beam to beam, reticulated metal supported by and below said joists, and a filling of con; crete or similar plastic material applied upon 'said reticulated metal and in which the joists and portions of the beams above the blocks are embedded, substantially as described.

3. The combination with flanged beams, of fireproof blocks extending along the webs of the beams and below the beams to form a reproof protection for the webs and bottoms of the beams and resting upon the flanges of the beams, joists supported on the tops of the blocks and extending from beam to beam, reticulated metal below said joists, and a lling of concrete or similar plastic material applied upon said reticulated metal and in which the joists and portions of the beams above the blocks are embedded, substantially as described.

4. The combination with iianged beams, of ireproof blocks extending along the Webs of the beams and below the beams to form a fireproof protection for the webs and bottoms'of the beams, joists supported on the tops of the blocks and extending from beam to beam, re ticulated metal extending from beam to beam and between the joists, a filling of concrete or similar plastic material above sai-d reticulated metal, hangers held in position on thc beams by the blocks and extending below the` protection beneath the beams, and a ceiling supported by said hangers, substantially as described.

5. The combination with flanged beams, of a '[ireproof lioor yincluding a framework of reticulated metal covering the space between the beams and a filling of concrete orsimilar IOO IIO

plastic material applied from above upon said reticulated metal, and reproof blocks on opposite sides of the Webs of the beams resting upon the flanges of the beams and forming substantially the sole support for the lireproof floor, substantially as described.

G. The combination with ilanged beams, of

' Iireproof blocks arranged on opposite sides of the Webs of the beams and resting upon the flanges of the beams, a framework of reticulated metal covering the space between the beams and supported on the tops of theloloeks, a filling of concrete or similar plastic material applied on said reticulated metal, hangers consisting of metal rods or strips molded into said blocks and projecting belowr the beams, and a Ceiling supported by said hangers, substantially as described.

7. A iireproof block formed ot plastic material molded to the required form to rest upon the lower flange of a beam and extend beneath the beam to form a iireproof protection for the bottom of the beam and having molded therein a ceiling-hanger formed of-a metal rod or 

